DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. EVERYTHING BELONGS TO MRS. MEYER.

This chapter is dedicated to Saklutzy.

You encouragement is priceless.

I nervously smoothed the ruffles of my skirt for the hundredth time. Scrutinizing my refection in the long mirror, I looked for anything out of place. I noticed that the button on my blouse was crooked and I hurried to straighten it.

"Relax, it'll be fine." Rose's kind voice sounded softly from her place by the door. I could tell she was as anxious as I was, she was just better at covering it up.

"I am relaxed," I replied hastily. It had taken her an hour and a half, but she had succeeded in picking out the perfect outfit for me to wear: a white button up blouse, a green plaid skirt with ruffles, and black pumps; my hair hung loose about my shoulders. My eyes looked dramatic with all the mascara she had used, and pink shinny gloss coated my lips.

"Come sit down," she said motioning to a small stool on the far side of her enormous bathroom. I obliged, trying to keep my breathing even.

"Rose, I'm worried I'm gonna screw this up."

"Don't be ridiculous. As long as you do as I tell you, you'll be fine."

"But what if I forget what you tell me? I'm so nervous."

"Calm down, it's not as big of a deal as your making it out to be. Just act normal."

"Normal? You want me to act normal? You're going to sit here and tell a human-vampire-hybrid that sparkles in the sun to act normal? On top of my abnormalities, such as the fact that I experience blood-lust, and I babble when I get nervous. Babbling is bad, and I'm going to screw this all up because of my stupid babbling. I can't help it, I just start babbling and I usually don't realize I'm babbling, but then when I do realize it I feel like a fool, so I stop talking and then there'll be an awkward silence and I can't deal with awkward silences. And I'm so anxious that-"

"Dammit Nessie, just shut up." She said, her tone slightly annoyed. I clamped a hand over my mouth and tried very hard to keep from crying. I was going to have a mental meltdown before he even got here. "You're over analyzing this. You just need to calm down and approach it with out all this stress. Dates are supposed to be fun." She laughed a little bit and shook her head.

"I remember my first date. I was fourteen, and his name was Warren Benton. He was tall and two years older than I was which would have made him sixteen at the time. He took me to the theater to see "Pandora's Box", the story of a woman who is put on trial for her husband's death, and later murdered by Jack the Ripper. He bought me a soda afterwards, and walked me home. When we got to my house, he stopped by my mailbox, pulled me close and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Then he ran off. It was so childish and sweet that I went out with him again. We never actually got very far as a couple, and Father didn't like him because he was not ambitious." She laughed lightly at unseen memories before continuing.

"We stopped seeing each other after a few months. A new girl moved in across the street, and as with all novelties, he fell deeply in love. I believed they married the summer that I turned seventeen. He joined the marines the following year, and was sent to fight in WWII, where he died. The girl next door, her name was Edith, was left a widow with their only son. I don't know if she ever remarried. I'd like to think she did, though it is doubtful." She shook her head one final time and then returned to the present.

"Moral of the story is: if you aren't going to enjoy going on a date, you ought not to go at all."

"Alright," I said, trying to shake off my irrational fears.

"Listen to him while he talks, fluff his ego, and flirt a little bit. You'll be just fine my dear." She smiled warmly at me and beckoned for me to stand. "All you really have to worry about is that anxiety level of yours. Try not to get so restless. It'll only hurt you in the long run." With that last piece of wisdom, she whisked off to find her camera.

I decided I would go look for Mom and Dad so I could tell them what was going on. As I descended the stair case, I saw them standing near the huge window that covered the south wall, his arms wrapped around her. I cleared my throat loudly and they both turned to look at me as I walked up behind them.

"Mom, Daddy, um, Jacob was going to take me on a date tonight." Edward's shoulders tensed, but he smiled. Momma beamed at me, but I could tell she was thinking about something that made her angry.

"I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time." She said brightly, a trace of anger still residing in her pretty golden eyes.

"Thank you." I replied, sneaking a glance at the clock. Five minutes 'til eight o'clock.

"Be careful, my darling. Now if you'll excuse me." He strode out the back door gracefully and Momma smirked.

"Your father's very stubborn," she said teasingly as I heard the Rabbit's tires grind against our front lawn. My heart leaped into my throat and I took deep breaths to steady myself. I could do this. I was not going to screw this up. Mom gave my hand a quick squeeze, then headed upstairs, probably to find Rose.

I dashed out the front door to see Dad and Jacob enthralled in quiet conversation. Their voices were low and tight, and the atmosphere around them was tense.

"Hi Jake," I said softly, as I approached the car. They both looked up, slightly startled. Dad recovered first.

"Nessie, sweetie. I was just telling Jake not to have you out too late. Have fun, my dear." He smiled and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his oh-so-smooth lying. As Jacob opened my car door for me, my father slipped a tiny cylinder into my hand. I clutched it tight and mentally thanked him for whatever it was. He usually had a reason if he was trying to be sneaky.

I climbed into the Rabbit and slipped the can (I had determined it was a can of some sort) under the folds of my skirt. Jake got in, and revved up the engine as I fastened my seat belt.

"If I had a nickel for every time I saw someone as pretty as you, I would have five cents," Jake said casually as we pulled away from the house. I blushed. I couldn't help it.

"Since when do you use corny pick up lines?"

"Since when are my pick up lines corny?" we both laughed freely. It was so easy to be myself around him. The car sped around town; we took the 101 south, a few miles before he pulled into a small parking lot. I instantly recognized the wooden building by its green-painted porch. The gigantic sign read Pacific Pizza: Italian and American Specialties. Jake knew how much I loved pizza. I grinned hugely at him as he turned the key in the engine and reached to open his door.

I reached for my own and as I stepped out of the car, I lost my footing on the gravel and fell, smacking my head on the side of the car as I went down. I laid there on the uncomfortable ground a moment before the pain began to register. Jacob realized what had happened and ran to my side, holding my head in his hands.

"Are you alright?" he asked uneasily as I sat up.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said as he helped me to my feet. There was a dull ache in the back of my head, but I ignored it. He shut the car door for me and took my hand in his. We proceeded into the café. A cowbell, strung on the door, jangled as Jake held the door for me. It was cooler inside the spacious, dimly lit restaurant. The smell of fresh baked pizza wafted towards us from the kitchen. It was delightful, aside from the pretty hostess that was eyeing Jake up.

She was unnaturally blonde and several inches taller than me. I watched as she undressed my boyfriend with her eyes and shuddered as a violent surge of jealousy surfaced. I hoped my face wouldn't give it away. Her smile was seductively desperate as she greeted us.

"Hi, how many?"

"Two." Jacob said politely, not really looking at her. She seemed a little put off as she seated us at a table in the most crowded area of the restaurant.

"Your server will be right with you," she said cheerfully, willing Jake to spare her one look. He looked only at me and the ceiling. Nessie: 1. Slutty Hostess: 0

"This is really great," I said smiling sweetly. He smiled back and I thought that if the planets had not already aligned four days ago, they would have then.

"I'm glad you like it. I know how much you like pizza." Just then a tiny girl about Alice's size emerged from the kitchen. She had obnoxious red hair and freckles that dotted her face. Her eyeliner made her look like a panda, and I silently wondered how a tiny girl like her possibly had boobs that big. She jiggled around in her low cut shirt all the way across the room to our table.

"Hi yawl, my name's Gracie. I'll be your waitress this evenin'. What can I get yawl to drink?" I noticed she was speaking only to him. He looked at me expectantly.

"I'll have a cherry soda." I said. It came out more like a question.

"Two cherry sodas." Jake said as the waitress scribbled it down as though her life depended on what Jake wanted to drink with his dinner.

"Are yawl ready to order now, or would you like a few minutes?" her overdone southern accent was beginning to get on my nerves.

"Nessie?"

"We can order now."

"Alright, we'll have a large pizza with mushrooms, green olives, and feta cheese." She wrote it down quickly, muttering to herself as she went.

"Anything else?" she asked him.

"That'll be all."

"There's nothing I can get for you?" Did I just imagine the double meaning to her words? No, of course not. She was all over Jake, and I secretly hoped her boyfriend would walk in and see her.

"We're fine." I said coldly. She narrowed her eyes at me and then left.

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head when you fell?" he asked after a few moments, concern seeping into his tone.

"I'm sure." He smiled and we sat in silence for a while longer.

I clasped my hands together and took a deep breath. "So, um," I began. "What do people talk about on dates?" he had just taken a swallow of soda, so when he started to laugh, it spewed across the table. I jumped back, slightly confused.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry Nessie; it's just that you're so funny sometimes." None of the soda had gotten on me, so I was mostly okay. He took a napkin and wiped his face, his shirt, and the table off quickly. The white polo he was wearing would never be the same, but that was of little importance.

"I'm glad I amuse you." I said frowning. He shook his head.

"Truth be told, I'm really not all that sure what people talk about on dates." I looked up a little surprised.

"Well haven't you been on a date before?"

"Some, when I was younger. Nothing worth talking about." I eyed him warily and decided he was telling the truth. I leaned across the table to place my palm on his cheek. I wanted him to get a sense of the clashing emotions I was experiencing. I remembered my almost-panic attacks from earlier and though a worry line creased his forehead, he chuckled.

"I'm afraid I'll screw this up for you," I said softly. As I said this, the waitress seemed to appear out of nowhere. She cleared her throat loudly, causing me to jump. My arm flew up and knocked the two sodas out her hands. The icy liquid came splashing down on my and I let out a shriek of dismay.

"Oh my goodness! Let me get you some napkins," she twanged in her country accent. "I do apologize," She could apologize all she wanted, but she did a poor job of concealing her pleasure. My outfit was probably ruined and my hair was sticky.

"Don't worry about the napkins," I muttered, glaring at her. "I'm going to the bathroom. I'll be right back." I said to Jake as I got up and walked away. His concern was almost tangible, but I needed a moment to wash the soda out of my hair and compose myself.

Well, here is the next chapter. I shall try to update tomorow morning, but I have band camp, so we'll see.

Thank's for reading.

Please Review. Constructive Criticism is always welcome.

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